Revenge of the Nerds: Backpack Rap Appreciation Thread

I've been listening to Soundbombing 1 and 2, Superrappin' and Lyricist Lounge over the last few days and rediscovering the modest pleasures that attend late 90's underground rap music.

Of course, you get some complete no hopers, some wild eccentrics who veer all over the place, a general lack of ambition to rock any but the most retrograde dancefloors, and half the songs (if not more) are about how other MCs aren't as good as the MC currently rapping, and built on those generic ''i've got ambition to make the right decisions and my mission is to die spitting not die in prison etc.'' constructions... BUT

Loads of great stuff too. And I appreciate the down-to-earth quality of it. It's quite rare for any of these rappers to claim to be Pablo Escobar. Also, the amateurishness of some of it feels quite liberating. There was that DIY aspect to it, the idea of cyphering on street corners etc.

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The stuff I remember enjoying was stuff from people who predated that scene but we're drawn into it eg monch, kool Keith etc

Yeah - I mean, there was probably the same lack of quality control going into that scene as there is alleged to be nowadays with trap/mixtape rappers. Whereas artists like Kool G Rap and Monch were the products of a really competitive scene.

Real weirdos with borderline un-listenable styles like Thirstin Howl III were allowed in purely on the basis of being weird. And I actually quite like that. Also was surprised by how much I enjoy Company Flow's contribtuion to Soundbombing 2. El-P has absolutely no finesse as a rapper and even that I find perversely admirable.

Sir Menelik is a good example of a weirdo who was actually good. Remember 'So Intelligent' off Soundbombing? Him and Kool Keith rapping complete gibberish. Good stuff.